Before the Storm: Letter from Anduin Excerpt

Blizzard has posted an excerpt of the upcoming novel Before the Storm by Christie Golden. This novel takes place after the Legion epilogue and before the Burning of Teldrassil. In this novel we learn more about how the old wounds between the Alliance and Horde reopened. \r\rLearn more about the lore of the upcoming expansion, including the end of the novel, in our detailed guide.\r\rThe first in a series of three excerpts from Christie Golden's upcoming World of Warcraft novel, Before the Storm. This latest all-new official prequel to Battle for Azeroth will be available on June 12, 2018 and is available to pre-order on Amazon. Be sure to check back to catch the second and third excerpts.Download excerpt one of Before the Storm.Book summary:Azeroth is dying.The Horde and the Alliance defeated the demonic Burning Legion, but a dire catastrophe is unfolding deep below the surface of the world. There is a mortal wound in the heart of Azeroth, struck by the sword of the fallen titan Sargeras in a final act of cruelty.For Anduin Wrynn, king of Stormwind, and Sylvanas Windrunner, warchief of the Horde and queen of the Forsaken, there is little time to rebuild what remains and even less to mourn what was lost. Azeroth\u2019s devastating wound has revealed a mysterious material known as Azerite. In the right hands, this strange golden substance is capable of incredible feats of creation; in the wrong ones, it could bring forth unthinkable destruction.As Alliance and Horde forces race to uncover the secrets of Azerite and heal the wounded world, Anduin enacts a desperate plan aimed at forging a lasting peace between the factions. Azerite jeopardizes the balance of power, and so Anduin must gain the trust of Sylvanas. But, as ever, the Dark Lady has her own machinations.For peace to be possible, generations of bloodshed and hatred must be brought to and end. But there are truths that neither side is willing to accept and ambitions they are loath to relinquish. As Alliance and Horde alike grasp for the Azerite\u2019s power, their simmering conflict threatens to reignite all-out war\u2014a war that would spell doom for Azeroth.\r\r\rUnto Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, Dark Lady of the Forsaken and \rwarchief of the Horde, King Anduin Llane Wrynn gives respectful \rgreetings. \r\rI write to you with a proposition that has nothing to do with \rarmies, territories, or goods, but it is one that I believe will serve \rboth the Horde and the Alliance. \r\rI will cut directly to the heart of the matter. When you \rapproached the Alliance, seeking a home for your people, you \rwere refused. We were still reeling in terror from what Arthas had \rdone to Lordaeron and couldn\u2019t understand that your Forsaken \rwere truly different. \r\rI have spoken recently with a Forsaken who was greatly \rrespected in life and have learned that despite all he has endured, \rhe still follows the Light. His name is Alonsus Faol, and he was \ronce archbishop of Lordaeron. He has agreed to be a go-between \rin the interest of helping both the living and the undead. \r\rThis missive is about families. Families that were torn apart \rnot by Horde and Alliance but by Arthas, who rained despair and \rdevastation upon all of us. Spouses, children, parents\u2014so many \rseparated, divided first by death, then by fear and anger. Perhaps, \rif we can work together, those driven apart can at last be reunited. \r\rWe are not currently at war. But I am not so naive as to \rbelieve that means hostilities do not still linger. We have \r\r\f\rexperienced recent tumultuous change to our very world in the \rform of Azerite\u2014a manifestation of the pain Azeroth herself is \rfeeling. With unity, we could direct our exploration of this \rsubstance in ways that can save her. Let us therefore focus on a \rsmaller but no less important gesture of unity as a first step toward \ra potential future that benefits both the Horde and the Alliance. \r\rI propose what amounts to a single day of a cease-fire. On \rthis day, those families who have been divided by war and death \rwill have a chance to meet with the ones they lost. Participation \rwill be strictly voluntary. All those on the Alliance side will be \rthoroughly vetted, and no one who I believe would be a danger to \rthe Forsaken will be allowed. I would ask the same of you. We \rwill determine a limited number of participants. \r\rA site suitable for this event is the Arathi Highlands. I will \rhave my people assemble at the ancient fortress of Stromgarde \rKeep. Thoradin\u2019s Wall is close to a Horde outpost. There, in the \ropen field, with sufficient protection as agreed upon by the two of \rus as leaders of human and Forsaken, these ruptured families will \rmeet. It will last from dawn until dusk. With your agreement, \rArchbishop Faol and other priests will facilitate, assist, and offer \rcomfort as needed. \r\rShould any harm befall my people, be certain I will not \rhesitate to retaliate in kind. \r\rI also understand that should my people harm any \rForsaken, you will do likewise. \r\rAs a priest, as king of Stormwind, and as the son of Varian \rWrynn, I will guarantee safe passage to the Forsaken who choose \rto be involved. If this cease-fire is successful, it could be repeated. \r\rDo not mistake this for an offer of peace. It is only an offer \rof a single day\u2019s compassion for people who were cruelly torn \rapart by a force that was neither the Horde nor the Alliance. \r\rYou and I have both lost family, Warchief. Let us not force \rthat upon others who, like us, did not choose it. \rDone this day by my hand, \rKing Anduin Llane Wrynn

Comentado por Valarienn

Then a comic about mostly neutralish, but still former Alliance, Magni.

Now a book excerpt about Manduin the glorious Alliance King (cause human potential, right?).

The next two will undoubtedly be about such luminaries as Genn Greymane and Mekkatorque.

What's that you're always saying about "Horde bias"?

FFS. :|

Comentado por Lyrakish

on 2018-05-30T17:37:46-05:00

Love Anduin greatly. This is very much like the Christmas in WWI where both sides joined to end fighting for the one day. I hope Sylvannas takes him up on it. The Horde story for BfA is just the Forsaken and Orcs taking the limelight, when other factions exist within the Horde that would rather have peace.\r\rHere's hoping Anduin can forge ahead.

Comentado por morginar

on 2018-05-30T17:38:44-05:00

I want to upvote that comment Valarienn

Comentado por Grazrug

Comentado por Synea

on 2018-05-30T17:46:17-05:00

God King Saint Anduin the Pure who does no wrong, bravely attempts to offer a deal to Sylvanas that could lead to peace, the reunification of families and the official recognition of Lordaeron as the Forsaken's home.Boldly, Anduin sees Azerite and thinks only on how to use it to save the planet first and other matters second, for he is God King Saint Anduin the Pure who does no wrong. First among the angels. He who convinced even Genn Greymane to see the good in the Forsaken. He who would achieve a true lasting peace with even the seemingly most damned of people.... if not for Maniac Tyrant Sylvanas the Wicked, puncher of kittens and kicker of infants, who takes this sincere offer and uses it to terrify and murder her own people and goes on to launch a genocidal war of unprovoked conquest.

Nope. Not black and white at all. Such moral greyness, much nuance.

Comentado por NNanz

on 2018-05-30T17:50:11-05:00

Blight them all

Comentado por SirKratus

on 2018-05-30T17:54:11-05:00

Love Anduin greatly. This is very much like the Christmas in WWI where both sides joined to end fighting for the one day. I hope Sylvannas takes him up on it. The Horde story for BfA is just the Forsaken and Orcs taking the limelight, when other factions exist within the Horde that would rather have peace.\r\rHere's hoping Anduin can forge ahead.\r\rExcerpts were already posted on Amazon about what happens during this day of cease-fire.\r\rI don't wanna spoil what happens, but...anyone who knows Sylvanas will know that if she accepts, there are ulterior motives behind it. She does not take any action unless there is some way it can be used to benefit her personally.

Comentado por Agniwolf

on 2018-05-30T17:54:57-05:00

if it is not writen on cursive letters it is clearly a fake\r\rso it is clear that everything was a trap to make Sylvanas behave evilly while promoting Anduin as the paragon of flawlessness\r\ra pity Sylvanas fell for it, she could do better than take this bait

Comentado por OrferVan

on 2018-05-30T17:58:38-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?\rThe problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde

Comentado por KaptainKrunk

on 2018-05-30T18:02:21-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?\rThe problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde\r\rThis. It's a bit Gary Stuish, but his character, for four expansions now, has been a boy who desires peace between the Alliance and Horde. It's completely in-character, and perhaps even unrealistically ideal, for him to believe it can happen.

Comentado por Valarienn

on 2018-05-30T18:11:38-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?\rThe problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde\r\rYou totally miss the point, don't you? This isn't about Anduin, though his all-holy next to godly portrayal is atrociously nauseating. \r\rIt's about the constant shoving of the Alliance narrative -- the so-called lawful good overdrive -- down the Horde's throat. And when I say "the Horde", I mean in-game, of course, but even more importantly, I mean the players who love the potential for the much ballyhooed (and not-yet seen) "grayness" of the Horde. \r\rEverything we know about the story is told from an Alliance perspective. \r\rEvery "excerpt", every piece of the story we're served is about Alliance characters or some horrific deed perpetrated against the Alliance, again from its perspective. \r\rI'm sick of the Alliance narrative. I'm sick of Horde being smacked with the villain bat just to make His High Godliness and friends (those without potential, you know) shine with the righteous omnipresent Holy Light.\r\rTake the blinders of your in-game character off and empathize with people who are just as vested in the Horde. This entire story, judging by everything we've learned, is a clusterflick of bad writing.

Comentado por TaliaKirana

on 2018-05-30T18:13:57-05:00

Pity just how badly this meeting goes has already been spoiled all over the internet. Gotta love the people running down Anduin for trying to offer a peaceful gesture towards the Forsaken. Even if it failed, at least he tried. That's more than many Alliance leaders have done towards the Forsaken in a long time.

Comentado por Grazrug

on 2018-05-30T18:15:00-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?\rThe problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde\r\rThats exactly the problem. Our leaders only exist to be killed off and as apushup for whatever good overdrive human king is currently in charge. Literally everything about this plot sucks.

Comentado por Synea

on 2018-05-30T18:15:35-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?The problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde

Speaking for myself, my issue is not with Anduin perse, it's that Blizzard claim that there is "moral greyness" and expect Horde players to just go along with Sylvanas and Nathanos being remorseless supervillains "because it is necesarry" while repeatedly and without any nuance portraying Anduin and the entire Alliance as saints who are no threat to anyone.It's not just that Anduin wants peace, it's that everything he does is reasonable and good to the point that as I said he even softens Genn's outlook, and he's the biggest warhawk in the Alliance!

I would have more respect for Blizzard if they just said "We've decided that the Alliance is good and Sylvanas is evil, the Horde is evil and the Horde player is evil. Warcraft 2 was the bestest story. Live with it." than them keeping up with these obvious and insulting lies.I'd still hate it. But at least I wouldn't think Blizzard were treating me like a complete idiot.

Comentado por OrferVan

on 2018-05-30T18:17:19-05:00

Thats exactly the problem. Our leaders only exist to be killed off and as apushup for whatever good overdrive human king is currently in charge. Literally everything about this plot sucks.\r\rYou totally miss the point, don't you? This isn't about Anduin, though his all-holy next to godly portrayal is atrociously nauseating. \retc. etc.\r\rYou miss the point as well, if you wanna cry about something make it Sylvanas, not a person who has had this type of character for more than 3 expansions please. Valarienn seems to completely miss this point.

Comentado por dumro

on 2018-05-30T18:17:26-05:00

i loved this exp. hordes r hordes, allies r allies. keep it up blizz. thats what i call lore.

Comentado por OrferVan

on 2018-05-30T18:18:01-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?\rThe problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde\r\rSpeaking for myself, my issue is not with Anduin perse, it's that Blizzard claim that there is "moral greyness" and expect Horde players to just go along with Sylvanas and Nathanos being remorseless supervillains "because it is necesarry" while repeatedly and without any nuance portraying Anduin and the entire Alliance as saints who are no threat to anyone.\rIt's not just that Anduin wants peace, it's that everything he does is reasonable and good to the point that as I said he even softens Genn's outlook, and he's the biggest warhawk in the Alliance!\r\rI would have more respect for Blizzard if they just said "We've decided that the Alliance is good and Sylvanas is evil, the Horde is evil and the Horde player is evil. Warcraft 2 was the bestest story. Live with it." than them keeping up with these obvious and insulting lies.\rI'd still hate it. But at least I wouldn't think Blizzard were treating me like a complete idiot.\r\rAMEN TO THAT, pretty much all I was trying to say

Comentado por Grazrug

on 2018-05-30T18:21:18-05:00

Why are people here salty about Anduin? This is certainly in character for him, do people want to regress the lore even more and make Anduin a bad person so they will get a false sense of fairness?The problem solely lies in Sylvanas at the moment, truly hope we just kill her by the end of the expac, so the "horde playerbase" aka pretty much everyone, since most people play both factions, receive an actual Warchief of the Horde

WE HAD AN ACTUAL WARCHIEF OF THE HORDE in Vol'jin until he got killed of from Alliance whines about Varian dying only to get thrown the next evil token plot divice. The arroganc eon some biased players here is beyond understanding.

Comentado por Grazrug

on 2018-05-30T18:22:50-05:00

Thats exactly the problem. Our leaders only exist to be killed off and as apushup for whatever good overdrive human king is currently in charge. Literally everything about this plot sucks.\r\rYou totally miss the point, don't you? This isn't about Anduin, though his all-holy next to godly portrayal is atrociously nauseating. \retc. etc.\r\rYou miss the point as well, if you wanna cry about something make it Sylvanas, not a person who has had this type of character for more than 3 expansions please. Valarienn seems to completely miss this point.\r\rNo I don't miss any points you are just used to be the good guy so hard that your only advise is to kill more horde leaders for the Horde story to continue on the terms you prefer.